The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-04-09
A Remarkable Man.

Inc history OF zap. JalIeS Is. EauS,
who died recently at Nassau, in the
West Indies, reads like a novel. He
was born in Lawrenceburg, Ind, May
%, 1920, and his early education was
acquired in the schools Of Louisville
and Cincinnati. Before he had sue.
ceeded in mastering the rudiments,
however, his father experienced re-
verses which necessitated the boys
withdrawal from school, to which he
never returned. AT very early age
he developed taste for mechanics
and a fondness for experimenting with
machinery, which afterwards became
the ruling passion of his life. In
September, 1888, when only 13 years
old, he arrived in So. Louis. The
steamboat on which his father with
his family had embarked TO seek Il
home farther West had burned and
the family was destitute. Young
Eads sold apples on the streets TO
contribute something 20 the support
Of himself. After n short time he OBJ
tanned position with firm, Barrett
Williams, the senior partner Of which,
d iscoyered his mechanical tastes and
gave him free access TO his library.
After year or two he went on a
steamboat as a clerk and remained
two years, during which period he
obtained valuable fund of informa-
ton concerning the river. In 1912 he
entered into partnership with Case g.
Nelson, boat-builders, for the purpose
of recovering steamboats, and cargoes.
which had been wrecked. At first the
operations of the firm were limited.
Such were the energy, versatility, and
industry OF Mr.. Eads, however, that
the business rapidly expanded, until
in the space of about ten years the
firms property had increased TO
100000 In value. In the meantime
Mr.. Eads had established a factory nc
st. Louis for the manufacture OF glass
ware. The business did not prove re-.
muneratiye and he returned To the
wrecking business. In 1896 he
submitted TO Congress a proposition 10
keep the Western rivers open for a
term Of years by removing all obstruc-
t.oas and keep the channels free.
The bill embodying his proposal passed
the House, but was defeated in the
senate. He retired from active bus
mess in 1857 on account of iil-health
Eads received the contract for build
log the first seven vessels OF the Mis-.
sissippi gunboat n9tila. From the
close Of the war 70 the time OF con
struction Of the great ST. Louis bridge
Mr.. Eads was engaged in no great
public works. Upon that bridge his
fame as ON engineer was firmly rs ab-
li,hed The bridge project was first
conceived in 1889. Various sites were
selected for the bridge, and the project
met with varying fortunes until Mr.
Eads began 90 take an active interest
in IL In 1867. In that year he was
elected engineer in-chief OF the COM
pany then formed. He at once secured
the services Of Col. Henry Flad and
proceeded TO develop plans which
were subsequently followed when the
bridge was constructed. IL WAS COM
pleted and opened in 1874. In 1875
Mr.. Eads began the construction of
system of ietties for increasing the
depth of the water az the mouth of
the Mississippi under contract with
the Government. His plans when
proposed were secuted at first by prom
inent engineers, but proved eminently
successful. His last great project was
the Tehuantepec ship Canal.